What a Pushkin, what a son of a bitch!
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"What a Pushkin, what a son of a bitch!" (Russian: ай-да Пушкин, ай-да сукин сын!; sometimes is separated by two exclamation marks instead of comma) is an eminent catchphrase and a winged word from Aleksandr Pushkin's correspondence with one of his friends, poet Pyotr Vyazemsky. The phrase may be used to express an elation after finishing one's work. In a letter dated circa November 7[1] or beginning of October,[2] 1825 Pushkin, marking his finished drama Boris Godunov wrote:
- "I greet you, my joy, with a romantic tragedy, the first person Boris Godunov is also in it! My tragedy is done; I reread it aloud, alone, and clapped my hands and shouted: What a Pushkin, what a son of a bitch!"[1]
That was preceded by what Pushkin wrote to Vyazemsky on July 13 of the same year:
- "My joy, for the time being I've undertook such a literary feat, for which you'll shower me with kisses: a romantic tragedy! Look out, keep silent: few people know that"[3]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b (Russian)Вадим Серов. Энциклопедический словарь крылатых слов и выражений. Bibliotekar.ru. Retrieved on 2008-04-26.
- ^ (1929) Разговоры Пушкина. Moscow: Федерация. ISBN 5-250-01701-0.
- ^ (Russian)Лариса Сорина. “Все смуты похожи одна на другую”. Тверские Ведомости. Retrieved on 2008-04-26.
